The objective of the Oregon coastal zone management development effort is to lead to a system whereby the maximum retention of options in coastal use are retained for the future. A secondary goal is to preserve natural processes to the extent necessary for environmental quality. Coordination among governmental units and the need to develop public awareness and participation in the coastal management process are also cited as objectives. PENNSYLVANIA Program Inventories will be assembled on existing conditions on both coast water uses. lines, as well as resource uses and activities, both natural and cultural. Criteria will be identified for assessing the impact of various land and Sites will be identified for facilities serving greater than local needs and a list of permissible land and water uses will be compiled. Criteria for designating areas of critical concern will be established. After investigating alternate program approaches, one will be selected and assessments made of its environmental impact, socio-economic impact and implementation costs. Aerial photographic mapping will be used to supplement existing planning data assembled at local, regional, State and Federal levels. The objectives of the State include control of erosion, guiding waste disposal activities to areas of minimum impact, maximizing the recreational use of the coast, protecting the State's wetlands and providing ample supplies of low-cost water. The coastal plan will aim to maximize the economic advantages of industrial locations in the coast and attempt to do the same for both year-round and seasonal housing. PUERTO RICO Program After assembling data on the standards or criteria agencies presently use to assess proposed land and water uses, the Department of Natural Resources, together with the Planning Board, will establish criteria for assessing impacts of existing and projected uses. Criteria also will be set for the designation of areas of particular concern, taking into account intensity of development, restoration potential and other factors. Complete biological, chemical, geological and environmental data will be assembled. To be done by the Planning Board, the work will result in designation of areas categorized by immediacy of concern and priority of importance. A study will be made of all laws, decisions and regulatory actions pertinent to developing a system of controls of land and water uses in the coastal zone. The effectiveness of existing governmental arrangements will be studied and alternative arrangements looked at. Based on the foregoing work, guidelines will be prepared for priorities of use in certain areas of the coast. The Commonwealth has as one of its goals the early designation and acquisition of an estuarine sanctuary under provisions of that title of the Coastal Zone Management Act (See Section IV). Another aim is to establish protected wildlife areas. Public access to beaches will be maximized consistent with the biological and physical limitations of the areas. The direction of offshore sand and gravel activity into selected areas sufficient for the Island's needs is another objective of those developing the Commonwealth's comprehensive coastal zone program. It is also hoped that those activities which lack economic or environmental RHODE ISLAND Program Extensive analyses in two broad categories - natural features and economic factors are planned in development of Rhode Island's comprehensive coastal zone management effort. Much work has already been completed in the natural resource area. The objective is to provide inventories covering the following topics: marine geology, hydrography, chemical properties, climate, benthos, fish and wildlife, shoreline features, land use and ownership, pollution, recreation, public facilities and utilities, and industrial and commercial activities. A special assessment is planned for the effects of offshore sand and gravel extraction. An attempt to design an effective lease fee arrangement for structures using public waters will be made. Other special study areas will cover salt marsh qualities, power plant siting needs, recreation capacity and projected demand, and the type of additional management controls which might be needed. Already completed are studies of unique natural and scenic areas in the coastal zone and of barrier beach conservation. The State has as its objective the identification and evaluation of its coastal resources, the current and potential problems with each resource, and their rational management in the future. SOUTH CAROLINA Program Those charged with preparing South Carolina's coastal zone management program see the development of an inventory and eventual allocation of coastal resources as a critical element. Criteria are to be developed for estimating the impacts of various uses on the land and water resources. Use conflicts will be categorized. A continuing assessment of the resources of the coastal zone will be begun, and sites are to be selected for "non-local" facilities. Based on criteria to be devised, areas of both critical and non-critical concern will be designated and data on each type collected. Priorities of use are to be assigned for both the critical areas and those of a less critical nature. There is to be an analysis of State and Federal legislation and regulations and legislation devised for presentation to the legislature. The State has set as its goal the objective of ensuring that the quality and extent of the coastal environment is maintained while recognizing the economic and social needs of coastal residents. The plan aims to guide future economic growth in the region in such a way as to minimize adverse effects on the environment. The State coastal zone program developers also hope to be able to mimimize conflicts among coastal zone users. The program will attempt to allocate clearly the responsibilities of various units of government to provide for a coordinated effort. TEXAS Program The General Land Office plans action in a number of areas in preparation of its coastal management program. The existing limits of coastal zone management authority on the part of the State will be identified. The Coastal Zone Planning Group will catalog all existing data and research in the coastal zone. An inventory will be made of interested local and State groups and the goals they would wish to see accomplished. A series of hearings and workshops will be held to permit additional public input. Several technical studies will be undertaken, including those on the establishment of criteria for determining how Statewide interest in the coastal zone is to Among the early tasks the Department of Ecology has set for itself is preparation of two sets of maps of the coast, one for the entire shore and the other consisting of more detailed studies of critical areas. The Department plans an inventory of geographic areas of critical concern and will make a study of the capacity of various shoreline areas to accommodate different types of development activity. A further study is to be made of the significant marshes and estuaries of the coast, including a Statewide ranking of these areas and guidelines for their protection. Analysis will be made of permissible water and land uses with specific guidelines for such uses prepared. To meet what is seen as one of the major problems facing the State, an examination is scheduled into the administration of the present Shoreline Management Act to identify deficiencies and to test the impact of various possible alternate systems. Washington's objectives are to develop a mechanism which will protect the public interest in the coastal zone while recognizing the rights of private property owners, to provide for appropriate uses of the land and water resources of the coast while preserving to the greatest possible extent the natural character of the region and to develop a management system that will emphasize long-term values in the allocation of resources over shortterm benefits. Protection of the coastal estuaries and major habitat areas and the improvement of water quality standards are additional State |